OVERVIEW
   Catalyst
   Summary
THE SHIFT IN THE UK FOOD RETAIL MARKET
   UK consumers are much more price sensitive since 2008
      Real wages continue to stagnate in the UK
      Unemployment is falling, but has failed to translate to higher productivity or incomes
   Changing consumer habits present a window of opportunity
      Consumer habits are unlikely to change
   Aldi and Lidl have gained at the expense of the big four
      Aldi and Lidl deliver cheap products
      Discounters have become acceptable to higher income groups
   Discounters have sparked deflationary price wars
COMMON INDUSTRY RESPONSES
   All players have begun to lower their prices
      Brand matching is becoming more common
      ASDA may be the only company able to engage in sustained price cutting
   Many are funding price cuts by restricting expansion
   Improving product range and quality of service
   Smaller store formats an advantage against discounters
      Aldi is expanding with smaller stores
   Online grocery shopping increasing
      Aldi is monitoring e-commerce
TESCO RISING?
   Tesco financial overview
   Tesco entered 2015 embroiled in controversy
      Tesco overstated first half profits significantly in 2014
      The company has been battling since Philip Clarke's appointment
   Tesco continues to divest products and exit markets
      Tesco's international ambitions have been thwarted
   Tesco's size insulates it from price wars to an extent
   Clubcard provides advantage with customer data
   Tesco's first quarter results are tentatively positive
   Attempting to restore brand image through CSR measures
   Tesco criticized for executive pay and supplier practices
      A potential rebellion over executive pay failed to materialize
   Tesco alleged to flout law with manufacturers
ASDA: GOING FULL WAL-MART
   Wal-Mart financial overview
   Wal-Mart's size gives ASDA an advantage
   ASDA's failure in convenience sector could cost it
      ASDA may only seriously compete in smaller sector by acquisition
   ASDA's focus is expanding e-commerce
      Click-and-collect expansion to cater for growing market
      ASDA's online stores are being rationalized
   ASDA's diversification
   ASDA's expansion into petrol forecourts
   Q1 2015 saw ASDA perform the worst of the big four
J SAINSBURY'S: FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE
   Financial overview
   Sainsbury's forced to adapt to price elasticity
   Sainsbury's convenience sector is growing strongly
   Sainsbury's further expanding ecommerce capabilities
   Sainsbury's using established discount brand in Netto
   Further diversification into non-food an option
      Sainsbury's is further expanding into financial services
   Nectar card gives customer data advantage over discounters
   Sainsbury's Q1 2016 sales fell for sixth consecutive quarter
W M MORRISONS: INERTIA CREEPS
   Financial overview
   Morrison's has disadvantaged itself in several ways
      Morrison's lack of product diversity leaves it vulnerable
      Morrison's delay lost it valuable inroads in the online market
   Morrison's has faltered in a bid to close the gap
      M local failed to meet expectations
      Too little too late for Morrison's digital transformation?
   Match & More card specifically targets discounters
   Integrated business model allows upstream efficiencies
   Q1 provides mixed results for the company
      Simplification of offering progressing
CO-OPERATIVE: BACK TO BASICS
   Financial overview
   The Co-operative is rebuilding following a prolonged crisis
      Co-operative bank was bailed in
   Co-operative food and the True North strategy
      Somerfield acquisition effectively negated
   Co-op convenience estate benefitting from changing trends
   Financial troubles permitted rivals to gain
   True North is addressing price and product range
      Prices are cut but smaller size limits options
   Co-op excluding itself from supermarkets and online channels
   Co-op's diversification has no potential for synergies
WAITROSE: CARVING A NICHE
   Financial overview
   Waitrose is not immune to discounter threat
   Waitrose has price matched, eroding its margins
   Online market burgeoning but becoming more competitive
      Utilizing John Lewis for click-and-collect to drive traffic
   Waitrose has highly loyal customers
   Waitrose is further expanding its customer experience
   Waitrose entering convenience sector
CONCLUSIONS
   Industry disruption bleak for big six
APPENDIX
   Definitions
   Sources
   Further Reading
   Ask the analyst
   About MarketLine
   Disclaimer